Team will be the emphasis as Tech volleyball begins preseason camp

Blair, who led the Golden Eagle squad to its fourth straight
appearance in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament last season,
will emphasize the team aspects during camp as TTU welcomes in
seven newcomers.

“We are going to emphasize being competitive early
on,” Blair said. “These players we have coming in have
a great set of skills and will have to fight for their
positions.

“Normally our summer preseason practices are
fundamentals-oriented,” he said. “This year our
practices will be more team-oriented so we can get into a rhythm of
one or two possible rotations.”

The preseason will begin with two-a-days that will include ball
control and fundamentals in the morning session, and a team
practice in the afternoon.

This will be the first season that Blair will not have a senior
on his squad, as he welcomes back three juniors and five sophomores
from a season ago.

“This is my first recruiting year that I have not
had a senior,” Blair said. “This will create an
opportunity for our juniors to step up and lead, and hopefully it
will carry over into their senior seasons.”

Junior Kelsey Gray, who was named to the Preseason all-OVC Team,
finished last season with a team-leading 126 total blocks, and
finished third on the team in kills with 270.

Blair also has a pair OVC all-Newcomer Team members returning in
Allison May and Natalie Penrod. Last season, May led the Golden
Eagles in digs with 535, while Penrod finished fourth on the team
in kills with 268.

A competition for the starting setter position will take place
as well, as junior Madison Comperry and sophomore Ashleigh Hancock
will look to fill the gap left by Melanie Culp last year.

The Golden Eagles will have 17 days to prepare for their first
non-conference tournament of the season as they take part in the
Georgia Tech Invitational, beginning with Louisville, Aug. 26.